The Every Newborn-INDEPTH (EN-INDEPTH) study recently completed a large (n=69,176) randomized comparison of two maternity histories notably, a Full Birth History with additional questions on pregnancy loss (FBH+) and Full Pregnancy History (FPH) in five Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites. Four of these sites are in sub-Saharan Africa (Bandim-Guinea Bissau, Dabat-Ethiopia, Kintampo-Ghana and Iganga Mayuge-Uganda) and one in Asia (Matlab-Bangladesh).
The stillbirth rate and neonatal mortality rate estimates computed from these two approaches were compared. Evidence from this study indicates that in sub-Saharan African sites, the FPH probably provides more accurate estimates for stillbirths compared to the FBH+. The DHS programme changed its core survey module from the FBH+ to the FPH based on findings from the EN-INDEPTH study.
Subsequently, the Makerere University Center of Excellence for Maternal Newborn and Child Health will be conducting the EN-INDEPTH Para data Study. This Study hypothesizes that the quality of data in surveys is affected by the type of questions such as structure (categorical, ordered, binary, numerical) and nature (complexity); length of interview; and elements of data collection (such as patterns of correction, missingness of responses and interviewer workload) during survey implementation.
Therefore, this study seeks to generate and test indices of survey data quality for stillbirths and neonatal deaths, data on patterns on survey implementation and management and review questions in the EN-INDEPTH survey maternity histories to inform implementation of future surveys.